The Same
by BlackMoonNight
Summary: Shuichi's a girl. She met Ryuichi, not Eiri, that fateful night. Rough life at home. Will Ryu help her? Better summary inside! Please read!
1. Chapter 1

**Hóla, seniors and senoritas! As you guessed by this post… I'M BAAACK! And with a Gravitation fanfic. This has been in my head for the past couple of days, so I decided to get it down before I lost it.**

**Summary: What if Shuichi was a girl and it wasn't Eiri she met that fateful night, but Ryuichi and he liked her music? Also what if she was having a rough life at home? Will Ryu help her out?**

**A/N: I OWN NOTHING BUT MY CRAZYNESS! Plus all songs featured in this story belong to their respective artists. Putting that out there now. And Ryuichi Sakuma stays male for all those people who were thinking of killing me if he didn't! So does Hiro! And rated T for swearing!**

**P.S.: The characters will look like they do in the version of the manga where Shuichi doesn't have a ponytail, the hair is just somewhat bushy. And as the summary implied, it's gender bent, but just slightly. The only other person who's switched is Tsugaru, Bad Luck's synth player.**

-Line Break-

"Man, I didn't realize how late it's gotten!" Shuichi panted as she stopped running to take a breather. It was past midnight again! She'd be lucky to get off with a whip from the belt when she got home.

She couldn't wait to graduate! Graduating meant moving out, and moving out meant no more over bearing father! Looking down at the paper in her hand, she started walking, all the while thinking about what Hiro said.

Maybe she did need a boyfriend. At the very least a night out with some friends. Besides, when she became famous, boys will be waiting at her hands and feet. A smug smirk filled her face when she suddenly sneezed. And as luck would have it, right as she sneezed, a gust of wind came out of nowhere and blew the paper out of her hands.

"No!" she screamed. '_Not my lyrics!_' She started running in the direction they flew off in. A minute later, she found the paper lying on the sidewalk. She smiled and was about to retrieve it when she saw a pair of shoes step beside it. A hand bent down and picked it up.

Her eyes grazed up, following the hand as it move up, then it stopped. Shuichi's eyes kept going though, until they landed upon the face of a very handsome man. His hair was dark brown and his eyes were a bluish hue. A look of interest graced his features as he read what was on the paper. The guy looked strangely familiar to her for some reason.

Oh boy! What was she going to do? She didn't know if he spoke Japanese. Then there was the fact about the way he was dressed. He was dressed in loose jeans, a white shirt, and a black leather jacket over it. He looked like some sort of biker guy!

A minute passed as she watched him read her song. A number of questions ran through her head. What was he thinking? Does he think it's good? Does he hate it? After what seemed like eternity to her, he finally glanced up at her.

"Is this your writing?" he asked, waving the paper slightly. The first thought that jumped to her mind was '_He is Japanese!_' She took a moment to break out of her stupor before answering him.

"Uh… Yeah," she said uncertainly. She watched as he looked back down at the sheet, then back at her. Suddenly he started walking towards her. She was freaking out. What was he going to do? He stopped a few feet in front of her and held the paper towards her. Shuichi took it with a shaky hand, a wary look on her face.

"Though it could use a little more work, it's really good," he stated excitedly, a big smile on his face. At the sight of it, she couldn't help but return it shyly. "I could feel what you were saying."

She stared at him. He liked it? She could sense her face was getting hot. Then before she could respond to what he said, the man walked past her with a wave and was out of sight.

Shuichi stared after him, wondering who that man was. The sound of her phone going off startled her. Digging it out of her pocket, she flipped it open and found an angry text from her dad.

"_GET HOME NOW!_" Her face paled at the sight of those words. Deciding to go face the music, she shoved her phone back in her pocket and ran as fast as she could towards home.

-Line Break-

**Hope you liked this! This is going to be a series, if not just multiple oneshots. So be on the look out for that! Have a happy Valentine's Day! I'll update soon! (hopefully)**

**Shizu-fan!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's the second chapter! Please enjoy! Constructive criticism is welcomed, but no hard core flames! Don't like those. They melt the ice caps at North and South Poles.**

**Summary: What if Shuichi was a girl and it wasn't Eiri she met that fateful night, but Ryuichi and he liked her music? Also what if she was having a rough life at home? Will Ryu help her out?**

**Disclaimer: All characters in Gravitation belong to Maki Murakami. All songs belong to their respective artists.**

-Line Break-

Shuichi sat at her desk, writing songs for the band. Hiro was standing behind her talking about the talent show the student council was holding that day.

"Too bad that all of the data was erased," he commented. Shuichi took offense at that comment. It wasn't her fault!

"That wasn't my fault!" she said as much. Then she grumbled, "I knew I shouldn't have left my keyboard lying around. That damn bastard." Hiro caught that though, and he knew instantly who was to blame. Shuichi's fickle jackass of a father.

Hiro knew what was going on at home. Abuse. He's tried a number of times to get his friend out of that house, but she wouldn't listen. She kept saying, "He's my father. An awful one he is, but I can't just leave." And he could understand why if she was sixteen. But she was eighteen and legally considered an adult. Why she stayed in that place was beyond him. Maybe she thought he would change. But Hiro didn't think that was ever going to happen. Pigs would start flying through a frozen Hell before that happened.

Deciding to change the topic to a lighter one, Hiro started talking about the talent show again. "So do you want to go make fun of the contestants?" He smiled when she looked at him with an evil smirk. But that smirk was instantly swept away as a thought crossed her mind.

"How are we gonna get out of class?" Shuichi asked him. This time it was his turn to smirk evilly. She suddenly got the feeling she shouldn't have asked.

-Line Break-

"I can't believe you had me do that," she snarled at him. He just shrugged with a smug smile on his face. Shuichi kept glaring at him from the corner of her eyes. What he did was over the line. If he weren't her lead guitarist and good friend, she would've murdered him.

Asking those girls to make sure the teacher didn't catch them gone while suggesting they were going to do the nasty was bad enough. But Hiro had the nerve to start nibbling on her ear in front of them. Sometimes she wondered about him. What did he really think about her? She knew he loved her, but as a sister or a sexual partner was the question. _Then again_, she thought as she watched him looking at some random girl's butt, _maybe he was just goofing_.

Shuichi and Hiro talked about nothing in particular through the whole contest until some moron got on stage. His voice was grating on her nerves, and she was pretty sure she would go deaf if he continued. An idea popped in her head immediately.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" she asked him, standing up. She heard him getting up too.

"If you mean stopping that nails on chalkboard sound, then yes," he answered, following her to the stage. They received shocked reactions as they booted the guy off stage. Both knew the student council would reprimand them for this, but they had to bring this crowd back to life.

And once Shuichi grabbed hold of the mic, her blood starting boiling. She always anticipated this feeling with great enthusiasm. It was as if her spirit would spill out, coming alive these few moments in the spotlight. With these thoughts in mind, she greeted their audience.

"Hey, guys! You ready to rock?" The response was the very loud cheering from the throng of students. After near talentless acts they were ready for a real show. And Shuichi was ready to give them what they wanted. "I'm sorry to say that my equipment is on its menstrual cycle! But fear not! That won't stop us! Here's a new song we've been working on! Please enjoy!"

She turned to see Hiro had a guitar in his hands and told him what song they were performing. With a nod he starting tuning the instrument. After a few seconds he started playing a mid-tempo song with her joining in moments later.

"_Hold on cause I'm letting go_

_I'm gonna lassle your heart like a rodeo_

_I'm gonna give you some 'til you want some more_

_Cause all I see is an open door_

_And I see where it's leading me_

_All of this energy_

_Been bottled up way too long_

_It's powerful, powerful_

_You see where I'm getting at_

_I'm ready for all of that_

_If I'm not a star you're blind_

_I've got rings on my fingers_

_And glitter in my hair_

_I've bought a one-way ticket_

_And I just got here_

_I'm gonna run this town_

_Run this town_

_I'm gonna run this town_

_Run this town_

_I've high-heeled stilettos_

_And I'm kickin' in doors_

_And kissing you ass_

_Ain't what my lipsticks for_

_I'm gonna run this town_

_Run this town_

_I'm gonna run this town_

_Run this town tonight_

_I'm climbing high, but there ain't no net_

_You'd like to see me jump a bit_

_Well every day's just like Russian Roulette_

_I'm gonna play, play, play with no regrets_

_Cause I'm tired of second best_

_Tired of doing this_

_Tired of hypocrites_

_Twisted like licorice_

_I'm crushing them in my fist_

_Hushing their ignorance_

_You had your chance_

_Now it's mine_

_I've got rings on my fingers_

_And glitter in my hair_

_I've bought a one-way ticket_

_And I just got here_

_I'm gonna run this town_

_Run this town_

_I'm gonna run this town_

_Run this town_

_I've high-heeled stilettos_

_And I'm kickin' in doors_

_And kissing you ass_

_Ain't what my lipsticks for_

_I'm gonna run this town_

_Run this town_

_I'm gonna run this town_

_Run this town tonight_

_Nothing's standing in my way_

_There's no obstacles anymore_

_In a minute, I'll be on my way_

_To the moment I've been waiting for_

_I've got rings on my fingers_

_And glitter in my hair_

_I've bought a one-way ticket_

_And I just got here_

_I'm gonna run this town_

_Run this town_

_I'm gonna run this town_

_Run this town tonight_

_I've got rings on my fingers_

_And glitter in my hair_

_I've bought a one-way ticket_

_And I just got here_

_I'm gonna run this town_

_Run this town_

_I'm gonna run this town_

_Run this town_

_I've high-heeled stilettos_

_And I'm kickin' in doors_

_And kissing you ass_

_Ain't what my lipsticks for_

_I'm gonna run this town_

_Run this town_

_I'm gonna run this town_

_Run this town tonight_

_I'm gonna run, I'm gonna run_

_Gonna run, run this town_

_I'm gonna run, I'm gonna run_

_I'm gonna run, run this town_

_Tonight_

_Run this town, run this town_

_Tonight_

_I'm gonna run this town, run this town_

_Tonight._" The crowd went wild as the last note ended. Shuichi just smiled ear-to-ear, happy to have found a little piece of heaven in the dark abyss she lives in.

-Line Break-

**There you go, chapter 2! Hope you liked it! And for the first 5 people who correctly guess who sung that song will be mentioned next chapter in my ramblings. And until you review, that 3****rd**** chapter is staying on my computer. Jump for it, jump for it! Hahahahaha!**

***Ahem* Sorry.**

**I also forgot to mention last chapter, Eiri won't be popping up all that much in this story. Don't kill me! I want to try to focus on RyuShu here, not EiriShu.**

**On that note, I bid you adieu. See ya next time!**

**Shizu-fan!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I decided to scratch the game. No one has been guessing. So here's Chapter 3. Please enjoy.**

**Summary: What if Shuichi was a girl and it wasn't Eiri she met that fateful night, but Ryuichi and he liked her music? Also what if she was having a rough life at home? Will Ryu help her out?**

**Now this chapter is set around Bad Luck's gig when they open for Ask. Try and guess who all is going to be there. And that's all I'm gonna hint at. Please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: All characters in Gravitation belong to Maki Murakami. All songs belong to their respective artists.**

-Line Break-

Shuichi and Hiro were backstage waiting to be called. Shuichi was fiddling with her equipment, making sure everything was in order, and Hiro was tuning his guitar. Both were dressed up for their performance. Shuichi had on black leather pants, zip-up boots stopping at her knee, and a white tank top with a black leather vest. Black fingerless gloves, stopping half way past her elbows adorned her arms to hide the injuries of an abusive household. Hiro wore green army pants, sleeveless green army shirt unbuttoned, showing a black tank top, and black combat boots.

As he was checking his headset, Hiro looked up and saw what seemed to be Shuichi trying to add another song at the last minute.

"Shu, what are you doing?" he asked as he walked up behind her. She didn't look back to acknowledge him and just went on messing with whatever she was doing. After a minute, she finally answered.

"I'm trying to add 'that' song," she stated matter-of-factly. He looked at her with a slightly surprised look, though she didn't notice. "I've been messing with the lyrics to see if I could make them better. And I think I've made a break through."

"Shuichi…" Hiro sighed. Of course. He should've known. 'That' song. The one a perfect stranger – "Emphasis on perfect," she says – complimented. "We don't need to play that song. You've written others that are great, others that should be performed by the best in the business."

Now it was her turn to sigh. She knew he was right, she knew. But she just had this feeling in the pit of her stomach – besides her nerves – that it had to be performed tonight. She told him as much and finally turned back to see he was indecisive.

"Please," she begged, throwing in her puppy eyes for good measure. "Trust me." The two stared at each other for a moment before Hiro looked away with a defeated sigh. He nodded his head and Shuichi's expression turned into a mix of grateful and guilt. She knew she was cheating using her pitiful expression, but she had no choice, he wouldn't otherwise. She just gave him a quick hug, then went back to her equipment.

-Line Break-

Ryuichi – who was in disguise – followed Tohma – who was also in disguise – into the dome along with Sakano and K. They took a place at the back and waited for the show to begin.

"So Ask is playing here?" K asked Tohma. Tohma nodded with his usual smile. "Who's the opener, that is if there is one?" This time Sakano answered.

"A local group called Bad Luck," he replied. "I heard they're still in high school." Ryuichi smiled at this.

"It's great to hear they're going for their dreams," he commented energetically, bouncing on the balls of his feet. No one said anything else as just then, the lights dimmed and the announcers voice came over the intercom.

"Hey everybody! Welcome to the dome!" was heard from the speakers. "Let's get down to business! Please give a big hand for the opening act… BAD LUCK!" Cheers as loud as they would've been for the main event erupted from the crowd around them. They all winced at the sound even though they should be used to it by now.

The four watched as two kids, no older than seventeen eighteen years old walked on stage. What caught Ryuichi's attention was that one had pink hair. For some reason, he's felt he's seen that head of pink hair recently. His eyes widened as he suddenly remembered the other night. A smile graced his features as he leaned forward some. This was going to be interesting.

-Line Break-

Shuichi and Hiro walked on stage when their name was called. As they got into position, Shuichi felt a pair of eyes on her. Looking around the auditorium, she found in the back four men, two blondes, one black haired guy with glasses, and a brown-headed guy. The latter was wearing what looked to be a simple baggy white t-shirt, worn out blue jeans, sunglasses, and a headband.

She watched as he took off his sunglasses, and she gasped when she saw blue eyes stare back at her. Shuichi felt her face flush as she realized it was the guy from the other night. Suddenly she felt someone's hand on her shoulder. Turning quickly, she saw Hiro looking at her with concern in his eyes.

Shuichi just shook her head with a smirk. Seems her gut was a great asset. She would follow it whenever she got that earlier feeling again. Snapping out off her musing, she walked up to the mic at the front of the stage and took it off its stand.

"Hey!" she greeted. "You ready to rock?" The crowd cheered. "I'm sorry. I couldn't hear you. Let's try that again. Are you ready to rock?" The cheering got louder and she smiled as she glanced at the brown haired man again. He had an amused smile on his face, like he was enjoying watching her pump the crowd.

"If you think you're ready, then let's give you want you want!" she said into the mic, walking back towards her equipment. As she passed Hiro she told him what song they were doing first.

His eyes widened in shock, but it melted from his face as he saw the look in her violet orbs. That spark…he's only seen it a handful of times while a part of this band. With a smirk, he got ready for the song to begin.

Shuichi pressed a button and music began to play. When it came time for her to sing, she brought the mic to her mouth and poured everything into the song.

"_Hurry up and wait_

_So close, but so far away_

_Everything that you always dreamed of_

_Close enough for you to taste_

_But you just can't touch_

_You really want to show the world_

_But no one knows your name yet_

_You can't go anywhere_

_How're you gonna make it_

_You know we can_

_If we get the chance_

_In your face, the door keeps slammin'_

_Now you're feelin'_

_More and more frustrated_

_And you're gettin' all kind of impatient waitin'_

_We live and we learn_

_To take one step at a time_

_There's no need to rush_

_It's like learning to fly_

_Or falling in love_

_It's gonna happen and_

_It's supposed to happen_

_And we find the reasons why_

_One step at a time_

_You believe and you doubt_

_You're confused, yet got it all figured out_

_Everything that you always wished for_

_Could be yours, should be yours, would be yours_

_If they only knew_

_You really want to show the world_

_But no one knows your name yet_

_You can't go anywhere_

_How're you gonna make it_

_You know we can_

_If we get the chance_

_In your face, the door keeps slammin'_

_Now you're feelin'_

_More and more frustrated_

_And you're gettin' all kind of impatient waitin'_

_We live and we learn_

_To take one step at a time_

_There's no need to rush_

_It's like learning to fly_

_Or falling in love_

_It's gonna happen and_

_It's supposed to happen_

_And we find the reasons why_

_One step at a time_

_When you can't wait any longer_

_But there's no end in sight_

_It's your faith that makes you stronger_

_The only way we get there_

_Is one step at a time_

_Take one step at a time_

_There's no need to rush_

_It's like learning to fly_

_Or falling in love_

_It's gonna happen and_

_It's supposed to happen_

_And we find the reasons why_

_One step at a time_

_One step at a time_

_There's no nee to rush_

_It's like learning to fly_

_Or falling in love_

_It's gonna happen and_

_It's supposed to happen_

_And we find the reasons why_

_One step at a time._" As Shuichi sung the last note, she came out of whatever trance she was just in to hear the roaring of the crowd. Only then did she realize she was breathing a bit heavier. Looking towards the man that's caught her attention, she saw he had an expression on his face that was a mix of surprise and awe.

-Line Break-

**There you have it. The third chapter. Yes, Shuichi seems to have a sixth sense when it comes to knowing what songs to play. **

**Hit the button below and review! PLEASE!**

**Shizu-fan**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's the fourth chapter! Hope you enjoy!**

**Someone actually guessed! For being the first to guess – not to mention getting it right – you get mentioned as well as cookies! *****hands over a package of Oreos*. Here is that person!**

ChordOverstreetFan - This person is the only one that guessed! And they got it right. It was Run This Town by Lucy Hale in the 2nd chapter. And One Step At a Time by Jordan Sparks in the 3rd chapter. Thank you for guessing! Really, thank you! *Kikumaru Glomp* This chapter is dedicated to you!

**Summary: What if Shuichi was a girl and it wasn't Eiri she met that fateful night, but Ryuichi and he liked her music? Also what if she was having a rough life at home? Will Ryu help her out?**

**This is set after the concert. Will Shuichi finally figure out who Ryuichi is? Read and find out!**

**Disclaimer: All characters in Gravitation belong to Maki Murakami. All songs belong to their respective artists.**

-Line Break-

"_It's a damn cold night_

_Trying to figure out this life_

_Won't you take me by the hand_

_Take me somewhere new_

_I don't know who you are_

_But I, I'm with you_

_I'm with you_

_Take me by the hand_

_Take me somewhere new_

_I don't know who you are_

_But I, I'm with you_

_I'm with you_

_Take me by the hand_

_Take me somewhere new_

_I don't know who you are_

_But I, I'm with you_

_I'm with you_

_I'm with you,_" Shuichi sang the last song, leaning into the mic as the music died down and the cheers grew louder. Sweat ran down her face from the performance, her breathing erratic from her dancing so much. Looking over, she saw Hiro was sweating as well, but not as much as she was.

A smile graced her lips as she heard the words of encouragement the crowd was shouting at them. Nodding to them, Shuichi raised her hand and started waving to the audience, walking offstage as she did so.

The stage crew congratulated them on an awesome performance. Shuichi took all the compliments with a smile. As they went by Ask, Shuichi met the eyes of their leader. She saw jealousy in his eyes, as well as what seemed to be desire. Turning her gaze into a quick glare, she walked past them without a second glance.

"We did great tonight for our debut Hiro!" she said excitedly, jumping onto his back. Hiro just shook his head. How she had this much energy left was beyond him. He was starting to think she was selling her soul to the energizer bunny. Suddenly her grip around his neck tightened, cutting off his airways.

"Yes it was," he gasped out. "Now will you please get off? I can't breathe!" He pulled in a long greedy breath when she did. Looking back, he saw she was already starting to put her equipment away. Her back was turned to him, but he's known her long enough to tell something was on her mind. Figuring she would tell him when she was ready, he went to their dressing room to change.

-Line Break-

Ryuichi stood there beside Tohma and K, watching as the pink haired girl finished her last song. He was moved. Her lyrics spoke a story to him that he could tell was based on reality. The complements he gave her the other night didn't do justice to what he felt now. Ryuichi was so deep in thought that he jumped when someone started snapping their fingers in his face.

Looking around, he found people were exiting the dome, Ask having already finished their performance. Turning to the person who brought him out of his thoughts, he saw K staring at him with a knowing smirk. "What were you thinking about Ryu?" he asked the brunette in a teasing manner.

A childish smile easily slid in place, along with the lie that passed his lips. "That Kuma and I are going to have fun drawing later!" All three of his friends face faulted to the ground. They should've know! "The music was good too! From both bands!"

Sakano readily agreed, having lifted himself off the ground. "I'd have to say, that I was pleasantly surprised by Bad Luck. I never would've thought they had such talent."

"Yes," Tohma nodded. "We should speak with them, or else another company will snatch them from us." K nodded his agreement as well. "Well, let's head back stage to talk with the bands."

Ryuichi followed behind them, lost in his thoughts. When they got past security, they headed for the dressing rooms. On the way, they bumped into Ask and gave their consent on behalf of the company. After they gave them the good news, they walked towards Bad Luck's dressing room.

Tohma gave a knock on the door. A "come in" was heard and they stepped in to see the pink haired girl was sitting in a chair, her clothes already changed. She wore a grey long-sleeved camouflage shirt, black capris, and black and white checkered vans with a towel hanging from her neck. An acoustic guitar was in her hands and she was mumbling lyrics under her breath.

"_So I drive home alone_

_As I turn out the light_

_I'll put his picture down_

_And maybe get some sleep tonight_

_Cause he's the reason for the_

_Teardrops on my guitar_

_The only one who's got enough of_

_Me to break my heart_

_He's the song in the car_

_I keep singing_

_Don't know why I do_

_He's the time_

_Tickin' up_

_But there's never enough_

_And he's all that I _

_Need to fall into…_" Tohma cleared his throat and she stopped to look up. Confusion filled her purple eyes. They watched as she set her instrument aside and stood up.

"Can I help you?" she asked. Tohma walked up to her and held out his hand.

"Are you Shuichi Shindo?" She nodded her head slowly as she shook his hand. He was about to say something when she asked, "And you are?" He looked at her for a moment, then realized he was still in disguise. "Sorry, forgot I was still wearing this." He took the hat and glasses off and suddenly heard a gasp. Looking back at her, he saw Shuichi had a disbelieving expression.

"Y-you're To-Tohma Seguchi," she breathed out. She couldn't believe this. This had to be some dream her imagination concocted. Tohma Seguchi, synth player for Nittle Grasper, and president of NG Studios was standing…right…in front…of her.

"So you're a fan?" he asked with a smile. It took all of her will power to keep from screaming and just nod her head. "Me and my colleagues just wanted to congratulate you and your band on tonight's performance. I was also hoping we could talk about your possible signing with NG Studios."

If it wasn't for Hiro walking in at that moment, she would've fainted the second Seguchi stopped talking. He wanted to sign the band? Now she knows she's dreaming! A hand on her shoulder brought her out of the chaotic state her mind was in. She turned to see concern in Hiro's eyes again.

"You alright, Shu?" he questioned. Shuichi blinked her eyes a couple of times, regaining her composure some.

"Yeah," she answered. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just in shock." She heard someone chuckling and glared at the tall blonde standing by the door. Though it didn't come out right and instead looked like a pout. Turning back to Tohma, she smiled, "Of course. It'd be nice to talk with you."

Tohma returned the smile and handed her his card. "Once things settle down for Ask, and you graduate, we'll give you a call. Could you give me your number so I won't have to hunt you down?"

"Right!" she agreed and picked up her notebook. After she wrote down the necessary info, she tore the page out and handed it to him. With that he walked out the door with K and Sakano, putting his disguise back on. Ryuichi was about to follow when he turned and glomped her excitedly, receiving a shout of surprise.

"You were awesome!" he shouted, then ran after his friends. Shuichi just stood there for a moment before her legs gave out on her. She landed unceremoniously on her butt as a shaky sigh passed her lips. Hiro was too shocked to see if she was alright.

Why that guy looked familiar to her, she didn't know. She racked her brain, trying to figure out who he was. Now that she thought about, the guy sorta looked like Ryuichi Sakuma, lyrical genius, and Nittle Grasper's lead singer. Then she remembered what Seguchi had said. "**Me and my colleagues just wanted to congratulate you and your band on tonight's performance.**"

-Line Break-

Her eyes looked like saucers then. That was Ryuichi Sakuma! The guy she met the other night, the one who complemented her music, watched her perform, hugged her, and said she was awesome. It was too much to handle in one night. She couldn't stand it anymore.

Right as they were about to get into the limo, they all heard a girl scream "IT WAS HIM!" in excitement. Everyone looked back at the dome they just left. Ryuichi smirked as he climbed in, grabbing Kumagoro from the seat and hugging him to his chest. Tohma no doubt thought that the shout was over the possibility of getting a record deal, but he knew. She seemed to have just realized who he was. Oh, if only he could have seen her face when she pieced it together!

"Seems she figured it out Kuma!" he said to the stuffed pink rabbit. The rabbit just stared at him as they drove off. How he couldn't wait to see her again, the pink haired girl who's caught his attention!

**And there you have it! Chapter 4! Hope you enjoyed! She finally figured out who he was. And there's the possibility of the band getting a record label. Yay!**

**Now if people actually want to guess, go ahead and I'll mention you in my ramblings. Other than that, the game is officially scratched.**

**See ya soon!**

**Shizu-fan**


	5. Chapter 5

**Welcome one and all to the 5****th**** chapter! Hope you enjoy!**

**Summary: What if Shuichi was a girl and it wasn't Eiri she met that fateful night, but Ryuichi and he liked her music? Also what if she was having a rough life at home? Will Ryu help her out?**

**Now it's after the concert, and graduation is drawing near. Will Bad Luck be able to handle the stress of school, the band, and actions of Shuichi's devil incarnate father?**

**Disclaimer: All characters in Gravitation belong to Maki Murakami. All songs belong to their respective artists.**

-Line Break-

Shuichi was sitting in Hiro's room, copying his notes. She couldn't believe she fell asleep in class…again! This was just ridiculous. She understood the day after the concert. That night was emotional enough, it left her drained. But three days in a row? Oh, if some deity was screwing with her, she would screw them right back!

She didn't have time to be sleeping through classes! She had to finish getting Bad Luck's demo ready to impress Tohma Seguchi, she had graduation and finals coming up, and her mind was still rattled that it was Ryuichi Sakuma all along! How she didn't realize it sooner was beyond her!

Ryuichi Sakuma was a god among the music industry. He was also **her** god, **her** freakin' idol! Not being able to recognize him was a fangirl's major disgrace! Though now that she thought about it, she was feeling tired that night when she first met him. Plus it was dark, so that didn't help any. Oh, who cares! It's still a crime that's worthy of death!

Shuichi started banging her head on the wall behind her. '_I don't deserve to live, I don't deserve to live, I don't deserve to live._' This mantra kept going until Hiro walked back in, snacks in hand, and nearly dropped everything at the sight in front of him. '_Not again!_' he thought. He knew if she kept this up, she was not only going to kill herself, but was going to end up putting a hole in his wall as well.

"Shuichi! Enough!" he ordered. She stopped and looked up, finally realizing he was back. "Get back to work!" He just sighed and shook his head as she did what was told, grumbling obscenities at him. He knew what she was doing. Blaming herself because she didn't recognize Ryuichi Sakuma on the spot. He could sorta feel what she was thinking. He was a fan, too. But not hardcore enough to want to bash his head through a wall as redemption! He didn't know what he was going to do with her.

Hiro sat down and not five seconds later, his notes were shoved in his face. He took them and saw Shuichi going over what she copied off him. A smirk placed itself on his face. It was popular belief that Shuichi Shindo was an idiot. But the masses were so wrong. She was actually one of the smartest people he knew, musically and academically. The only reason why her grades weren't the best was because she deemed the content the school was teaching "A waste of time". And the only reason she thought that was because she was home schooled until halfway through his middle school career. Her parents were scholars, so they set the bar for her pretty high. It also helped that she had a photographic memory.

And right now, she's only studying because with all the work she's been putting into the band recently, her grades have been slipping further down the ladder of academic ranking. That and she's been sleeping like a bear during hibernation lately. He thought it was all the stress of putting together the demo. He sorta felt guilty. She's doing all the arrangements, all the song writing, and all he did was suggest things he could do with the guitar and play the instrument. She basically did ninety-percent of the work.

But there wasn't much he could do. She wouldn't let him touch her equipment unless absolutely necessary, and the one time he tried his hand at writing…well let's just say he'll never live it down. Though he thought he did good teaching her how to play the guitar. That's something they can discuss easily now when making new songs, what the guitarist will play during it.

Hiro was brought out of his musings by the weight that just landed on his thigh. Looking down, he saw Shuichi's head on his leg, her eyes closed and pink hair frazzled. He smiled before grabbing his spare blanket and throwing it over her. She really was a sister to him. Now if only he could get his 'sister' out of that hellhole she calls a home.

-Line Break-

Shuichi was hesitant to walk inside. Her stepfather was likely to be mad. She didn't call last night to inform him she was staying at a friend's place. And now it's the night after. The only thing she can do at this point is take a deep breath and hope he's asleep.

Stepping inside, she found he was in the living room, snoring so loudly, she thought he was trying to imitate a chainsaw. Relieved that her prayer was answered, she silently locked the door behind her and made her way upstairs to her room. She learned to be stealthy in situations like this. She had to learn, or she'd get a beating. She didn't like him. Not when he was first introduced to her and especially not now. Why her father had to die, she'd never know. It was because he died her mother met this drunken ass. And now that she's dead, he was the only one left to care for her.

And he did, but only enough to seem as if it was an ordinary family. Behind closed doors, it's a different matter. He drinks his ass off, then tries to pick fights with her. She also sees the looks he gives her, that of a wolf stalking a baby deer. Shuichi thinks the only reason he hasn't raped her yet was because she'd kill him with her own hands if he even attempted. Not that it mattered now anyway. One more argument, one more beating, one more string of bad mouthing her late parents, and she was going to strangle him.

Which was why she's was finally going to take Hiro's advice, and get the hell out of there. Shuichi was so entranced in her thoughts as she packed her things that she didn't hear footsteps creeping up behind her. The only warning she got was the hair standing stock straight on the back of her neck. She turned only to have a hand slap her in the face.

Shuichi was sent sprawled onto the floor, her face burning something fierce. Before she could get her bearings, she felt a weight on top of her, the scent of alcohol invading her nostrils. At this, she finally snapped.

Shuichi reared her head up and head butted him. She took satisfaction at the yelp of pain he emitted. Keeping with the momentum, she quickly ran to her dresser. Unfortunately, he grabbed her arm in a vice like grip, stopping her in her tracks.

"AHHHH!" she screamed as she heard the bone in her arm give a loud cracking sound. "Get off you drunken asshole!" She let her reflexes kick in and she turned and punched him square in the nose. This time, she heard **his** bones crack as she felt blood hit her knuckles.

She got the result she wanted and he let go to cradle his broken nose. Dashing towards the dresser, she opened a drawer and hurriedly grabbed the gun she had stashed there. She was glad she got a license to carry one when she finally turned eighteen. She didn't know how much longer a simple switchblade was going to work.

She looked over to see he was stalking towards her. She instantly pulled the gun out and shot him. The shock of actually firing her first bullet, in a situation like this no less, made her adrenaline skyrocket as she watched the man fall to the floor. Suddenly she started getting light headed. The last thing she remembered before she blacked out was the pool of blood that started appearing under that jackass.

-Line Break-

(Two weeks later)

Shuichi was finally out of the hospital. After the incident with her stepfather, she had woken up to find herself in a hospital room. She also found Hiro sleeping in a chair at her bedside. When the doctor walked in a few minutes later, he explained to her the seriousness of her injuries. They actually weren't bad.

Her left arm bone had cracked under the drunken gorilla's grip, but wasn't broken. She bruised her right fist pretty bad from punching him in the face. It's nearly gone now. And she had had a mild concussion from when she fainted.

He had also explained that the drunk was found dead at the scene. She had apparently shot him very close to the heart and hit an artery. He was dead within seconds. People kept asking if she was okay and she always said yes. But that was a lie. Though she wouldn't admit it, not even to herself, the whole incident had rattled her mentally. She wasn't able to look at the opposite sex, especially the adults, the same way again. The only male she felt comfortable around was Hiro, which brought her to her next problem.

Hiro quit the band. His mother apparently didn't want him to end up like his older brother, so she forced him to give up music. To become a doctor. Shuichi didn't like it, not one bit. She could see that Hiro loved music, he loved playing his guitar, but he was too stubborn to realize it. And she tried everything she could think of to get him back, but it eventually led into a fight where both of them suffered verbal and physical abuse. And that's _exactly_ what she wanted to happen, to have more injuries to add to her finally fading collection.

So now here she was, sitting in a folding chair, waiting for the graduation ceremony to begin. Shuichi almost didn't make it past the finals. The administrators were very shocked to find she had near perfect scores, so they instantly came to the conclusion that she had cheated. Surprisingly, she was able to talk her way into a retake to show that she wasn't as dumb as they thought she was. She took it the next day, and they were shocked even further when she got the same score as before. So they gave up and let her pass.

She was brought out of her musings as someone called the male valedictorian to the stage for his speech. "Please welcome to the stage, our male valedictorian, Hiroshi Nakano." Applause filled the area. So as not to be signaled out, she too starting clapping, though it was slow and sarcastic. Shuichi watched as Hiro walked onstage, standing behind the podium.

"Welcome everyone to this ceremony. It's a great honor to be named male valedictorian," he started, face set in a serious expression. "Before I begin, there's something I would like to announce." The whole audience was silent as he took a breath, as if to steady himself for an oncoming storm. "I failed my college entrance exam."

The silence turned from expectant to shocked in an instant. You could here a fly fart a mile off it was so quiet. "And not only that," he continued, "I failed as a best friend and a brother. So I was wondering Shuichi, if you'll forgive me and allow me to be apart of Bad Luck once more." When he said her name, their eyes met, and she could see the pleading look in them.

Shuichi instantly shot out of her chair, making it scoot back some. She could vaguely hear a teacher begging her to not start a fight. "It's okay sir," she assured. She made her way to the stage, fists clenched. When she was a foot away from the guy who was a brother to her in every way except by blood, she stopped and looked up.

The tension in the air was so thick; you could cut it with a butter knife. After a minute, she reached up and grabbed his shoulder with a mischievous smile. "You better be prepared to shed blood, sweat, and tears. Because I'm going to be work you into an early grave." She watched as a smile spread across his face. Suddenly they heard things being thrown onstage. Turning, they saw to their immense surprise all of their music equipment.

"You better put on a good show!" Looking towards the student council table, they saw their friend Maiko waving at them. "My boyfriend his putting his ass on the line for this!" Shuichi smirked and nodded her head. The two went about clearing the stage and setting up their equipment.

"You sure this is a good idea?" Hiro asked, ripping his jacket open and rolling up his sleeves. "I'm a bit rusty." The both of them could hear Hiro's mother sobbing like a newborn baby, yelling about how her youngest son has turned into a delinquent.

"You're not the only one," Shuichi admitted, taking her jacket off. This brought on some shocked reactions from the audience, but they settled down when they saw she had a tank top on. "I haven't played since I got out of that damned hospital."

"Speaking of which," Hiro started as he tuned his guitar. "You sure you're gonna be able to play? Your arm is still wrapped up." Shuichi rolled her eyes as she hooked her equipment up to the speakers.

"Of course you idiot," she commented dryly. "You of all people should know I've played in worse conditions than a bandaged arm." Hiro only nodded his head. He was waiting for Shuichi to give him some cue, but when he barely heard violins playing, he turned to see her playing around on her synth. "I know we've only played this a couple times since our debut at the dome, but do you still remember _A and A_?"

Hiro snorted and repeated what she answered him with, "Of course you idiot." When done adjusting the synth, she leaned towards the mic and greeted the crowd.

"I apologize ahead of time if we sound a little crappy," she told them, earning laughs from the graduating student body. She just smiled. "You all know the circumstances for that. But besides that, please enjoy!" Shuichi started playing, and they all heard violins playing. Then to everyone's surprise, it was Hiro who started singing after the intro ended.

"_I'm at war with the world  
>And they try to pull me into the dark<br>I struggle to find my faith  
>As I'm slipping from your arms<em>

_It's getting harder to stay away  
><span>And my strength is fading fast<span>  
><span>You breathe into me at last<span>_

_**I'm awake, I'm alive**  
>Now I know what I believe inside<br>**Now it's my time**  
>And I'll do it at once, cause this is my life<em>

_Here (__right here__)  
>Right now (<em>_right now__)  
><span>Stand like that and never back down<span>_

_I know what I believe inside  
><strong>I'm awake and I'm alive<strong>_

_I'm at war with the world  
>Cause I ain't never gonna sell my soul<br>I already made up my mind  
>No matter what, I can't be bought or sold<em>

_When my faith is getting weak  
>And I feel like giving in<br>You breathe into me again_

_**I'm awake, I'm alive**  
>Now I know what I believe inside<br>**Now it's my time**  
>And I'll do it at once, cause this is my life<em>

_Here (__right here__)  
>Right now (<em>_right now__)  
><span>Stand like that and never back down<span>_

_I know what I believe inside  
><strong>I'm awake and I'm alive<strong>_

_Waking up, waking up  
>Waking up, waking up<em>

**_In the dark, I can feel you in my sleep  
>In your arms, I feel you breathe into me<br>Forever hold this heart that I will give to you  
>Forever and I will live for you<em>**

_**I'm awake, I'm alive**  
>Now I know what I believe inside<br>**Now it's my time**  
>And I'll do it at once, cause this is my life<em>

_Here (__right here__)  
>Right now (<em>_right now__)  
><span>Stand like that and never back down<span>_

_I know what I believe inside  
><strong>I'm awake and I'm alive<strong>_

_Waking up, waking up  
>Waking up, waking up.<em>" Cheers erupted all around them, standing ovations popping up everywhere. This lasted a few minutes until feedback from a mic made everyone cover their ears. Everyone looked to the student council table to see a blonde man in a long, fir-trimmed coat holding the microphone that Maiko had used.

Shuichi instantly recognized him as Tohma Seguchi. Had he seen their performance just now? She watched in stunned silence as he started speaking to them.

"I believe you guys just graduated. Would you now like to make a record?"

-Line Break-

**There you have it! Chapter 5! Woo, that was an emotional ride. From the attack to the performance. I hope you enjoyed it! **

**I know this seemed long-winded! It needed to be like this. To explain some things, you know?**

**See ya next time!**

**Shizu-fan**

_Blah Blah Blah_ = Shuichi singing

**_Blah Blah Blah_** = Both Hiro and Shuichi singing


	6. Chapter 6

**Now I give to you, chapter 6. Please enjoy the craziness that is this story.**

**Summary: What if Shuichi was a girl and it wasn't Eiri she met that fateful night, but Ryuichi and he liked her music? Also what if she was having a rough life at home? Will Ryu help her out?**

**Tohma has just called them out! Now the meeting between Bad Luck and him is about to begin! Will Noriko be their new synth player, or will Suguru be put in right off the bat? Read and find out!**

**Disclaimer: All characters in Gravitation belong to Maki Murakami. All songs belong to their respective artists.**

-Line Break-

This was nerve racking. Shuichi walked through the door to NG Studios with Hiro right behind her. They walked to the receptionist's desk, feeling nervous about the whole ordeal. The woman sitting behind it looked up at them with a dull expression.

"Can I help you?" she asked slowly in a voice that clearly stated she'd rather not.

"We're here to see Tohma Seguchi," Shuichi answered as politely as possible.

"Do you have an appointment?" the lady asked in the same slow tempo, doubting they did. Hiro looked to Shuichi worriedly. He knew she hated stuck up people like this.

Shuichi's nervousness instantly vanished, replaced by annoyance. She quickly bit her tongue to keep from yelling at the woman and answered in a strained voice, "Yes. He said that the front desk would be informed that Bad Luck would be stopping by today." Being refined was not her forte. She was the type to say what was on her mind without caring what others thought. Especially to those who annoyed her. Some would call her bipolar because she was usually all sunshine and smiles. And she would have to agree with them. But as long as she wasn't hurting anyone, she didn't find it necessary to see a shrink.

While she was away in her own thoughts, the receptionist looked through her book. When she found what she was searching for, she confirmed the statement. "Seems you were telling the truth." A vein popped on Shuichi's forehead. Did this woman think they were lying? "Just take that elevator up to the top floor, and his office is the last door in the hall to your right," she instructed.

"Thank you," Hiro said hurriedly as he pushed Shuichi towards the metal box. He saw the ticked off look on her face. Better for her to blow where there weren't many witnesses.

As soon as the doors closed behind them, Shuichi took a deep breath and screamed at the top of her lungs. This scream lasted a whole minute and could be heard throughout the building, startling many a people. Most of all Tohma Seguchi, who sat behind his desk talking to a blonde man in the seat in front of him.

Both turned towards the door as they heard loud obscenities from a female voice coming closer a few moments later. When they reached the door, the cursing stopped followed by a knock. Tohma looked to the blonde in front of him with a raised eyebrow. The man just shrugged, a slightly curious expression on his face.

Tohma sighed. Looking back towards the door, he called, "Come in." The door opened to reveal a huffing Shuichi with Hiro shaking his head behind her. The two blondes just stared at the scene as silence enveloped them, the only sound being Shuichi's breathing.

A minute later, Shuichi finally calmed down enough to see that someone was already talking to Seguchi. Her brows scrunched together as she took him in. Short blonde hair with eyes of the same hue. He wore a casual dark colored suit with dark dress shoes. An earring swayed slightly on his ear, finishing off the look.

For some reason, she felt as if she should know him. Pushing this thought away for now, she turned to look at Seguchi who had a slightly stunned expression on his face. "I'm sorry if we interrupted a meeting. We can wait out here until you finish," she apologized in a slight monotone.

She watched as Seguchi shook his head as if to clear it, and then plastered on what she knew instantly was a fake smile. "No, that's quite alright, Shindo. We were just about finished." He was about to address the other man when he noticed her arm. "What happened to your arm Shindo?"

Shuichi blinked once, twice, then looked down. It took her a moment to remember the gauze wrapped around it. Looking back up at him, she laughed nervously. "Self defense," she stated simply. Tohma just cocked an eyebrow at her short answer, but let it go.

As he turned to the other blonde, she noticed his smile took on a more sincere look. "We can continue this conversation later if you want Eiri." The man – Eiri – just grunted as he stood up. Shuichi and Hiro stepped to the side as he walked passed.

For a second, Shuichi's violet eyes met his golden ones. Some people say the eyes are a mirror to the soul. Well what she saw was a wall, a carefully constructed wall. Obviously the work of someone hiding some type of pain. And she wouldn't doubt if that was what he saw when he looked at her.

When he was gone, they shut the door behind them and took a seat in front of Seguchi. Once they were situated, the meeting to determine whether they had a label or not began.

-Line Break-

**Sorry it's so short! Please don't kill me!**

***Runs away screaming "Someone save meeeeeee!"***

**Shizu-fan**


	7. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!

**Important Announcement!**

**Very soon, I will not be able to upload whenever I want. My laptop was taken away by the school because it was time to give them back. Schools will end soon for me, which means I won't have internet access 5 days of the week. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to upload at least once a month. I'm sorry for the inconvenience and I hope you can stay with me through this long summer vacation. I will keep working on **_**The Same**_**, no need to worry about that. Please keep reading! I'll see you all later!**

**Shizu-fan**


	8. Chapter 7

Sorry for the incredibly long wait. But, it's here, it's finally here. Please enjoy Chapt.7.

Summary: What if Shuichi was a girl and it wasn't Eiri she met that fateful night, but Ryuichi and he liked her music? Also what if she was having a rough life at home? Will Ryu help her out?

Why ask you what's going to happen next? It's obvious. Just be a waste of breath.

Disclaimer: All characters in Gravitation belong to Maki Murakami. All songs belong to their respective artists.

_Blah_ = thinking

Blah = English

-Line Break-

"I believe that covers just about everything," Shuichi stated, starting to get up. She was stopped however, by Tohma holding his hand up. Sitting back down, she was curious as to what there was left to talk about. Didn't they cover everything?

"There's still two more matters I would like to discuss with you," Tohma started. Seeing the two musicians nod, he continued. "First is the matter of a manager." _A manager?_ Seeing their confused expressions, he explained further. "With a manager, you won't be worried about your schedule too much. They'll keep track of all of your appointments as well as schedule performances." When they nodded in understanding, he got up and walked towards the door. "And I believe I've found the perfect manager."

Twisting around in their seats, they watched as he opened his door. When it was fully opened, they sat in shocked silence. There stood a tall blonde American in a button down shirt, brown pants, loose tie, and sunglasses, an amused smirk on his face. It was the other blonde guy from the dome! But what shocked them even more was the magnum he was pointing at them.

"Hello there," he greeted casually, a slight English accent to his voice. They just nodded back. "I don't think we've been properly introduced. The name's K and I'm gonna be your new manager." Being the first of the two to regain her composure, Shuichi stood and walked up to him. Stopping a foot from him, hands casually in her pockets, she sized him up. When she stopped at his face, there was a moment of silence before she broke out in a shit eating grin.

"**I think we'll get along just fine Mr. K,**" Shuichi stated in perfect English, surprising the two adults. "**And as long as you don't point that magnum at me anymore after today, I won't have to hurt you.**" They were shocked even more by her blatant threat, that K actually put his gun back in its holster. Wondering where she learned how to speak impeccable English, Tohma voiced the obvious question.

"Where did you learn to speak English like that, Shindo?"

Turning to address him, she smiled brightly. "Me and my family lived in America for a year before coming back to Japan." When the two adults thought about it, they had to admit, it made sense. "Now what was this other issue you wanted to speak with us about Seguchi?" Motioning for her to retake her seat, he walked back to his as K closed the door. When they were all situated, they began the second discussion.

"The next matter that I wanted to talk with you about is something you might not like," he started. Shuichi narrowed her eyes at him. _Where was he going with this?_ "I was thinking that there was something wrong with your band." Shuichi was about to say something before he cut her off. "And no, it's not the music I'm talking about. Your music is already at a level above the rest for others your age." Both Shuichi and Hiro blushed at the compliment. What he said next caused him to have their rapt attention. "No, what I was talking about was about how many members your group has. You're doing remarkably well with only two members. But the thing is, I believe that you should add another, for example, a keyboardist." At this, Shuichi couldn't stay silent any longer.

"So what you're saying is to let a complete stranger come into our band." This wasn't said as a question. It was an accusation, a challenge. Tohma saw it for what it was though. He had to commend her for trying to get a rise out of him, but she didn't know him well enough to do so correctly.

With the ever present smile on his face, he replied with a positive answer. "Yes, I'm saying to let someone join." He noticed her face was getting flushed, with anger if the look in her eyes were anything to go by. "I already have some candidates in mind for the-"

"I won't allow that!" Shuichi interrupted, shooting out of her chair with her emotions. K wandered if she was crazy as he watched Hiro try to calm her down. She was outwardly defying Tohma Seguchi, to his face. Shuichi just shrugged Hiro off. She could tell Tohma wasn't pleased with her outburst, but at the moment, she didn't care. Some things had to be said. "Bad Luck has always been a two person group. If anyone should decide to change that fact, it's me and Hiro. Just shoving us with someone we don't even know is like begging for trouble! Many things have to be considered!"

"Like what?" Tohma asked patiently. He expected a reaction, but nothing like this. Watching her now, he could easily imagine it was his band mate Ryuichi standing before him, not some pink haired violet eyed girl that just happened to have some resemblance to him.

"For one," she started, "they have to be able to play. They can't just B.S. it. They have to be serious about their work. But considering who you are, you thought of this already." He nodded when she paused, confirming her statement. "Secondly, we as a band have to be able to get along. There have been many great groups that have broken up and stopped playing because they couldn't handle each other. There needs to be at least respect between the members if the band is going to have any chance at making it in the music industry." At this, Tohma sighed. He hated to admit it, but the girl had a point. But so did he.

"I get where you're coming from, Shindo," he replied, stopping her mid rant. "And you're right, the members need to get along. And before you say anything K, no, they won't get along even if you wave your weapons around." He watched as K pouted like a child who didn't get their way. Turning back to the still standing pinkette, he tried to get his reason across. "It's just that it might become difficult for you to go back and forth between singing and playing the keyboards. I can tell by the performances I've seen that you like to move around the stage. Having someone else playing the keyboard will allow you to focus on your singing as well as your songs, and you'll also be able move as much as you want."

He watched as a contemplative look graced her face as she slowly sat back in her chair. She was thinking it over, that was a good sign. After a few minutes of silence, Shuichi sighed. She saw his reasoning, she understood what he was saying. But still. It irked her thinking about someone else being Bad Luck's keyboardist. But she didn't think he'll be swayed into thinking her way. The best way she could come up with settling this was a compromise. Turning to Hiro for his input in all this, she saw him staring at her. When their eyes met, she knew he thought this might be for the best. Another sigh escaped her lips as she looked back at the president. After a moment of staring at each other, she nodded her head.

"Alright," Shuichi conceded. "You've proven your point. A third member might be a good idea." Tohma smiled. "But…" Tohma waited as she tried to find the right words. "I believe a compromise should be in order." That caught his attention.

"What kind of compromise?" he asked curiously.

"A third person may join the group," she started. "But in return to agreeing with you, Bad Luck should pick who it is that joins." When his expression hardened somewhat, she said, "Like I argued, we have to be able to get along with this person." With that, it was his turn to sigh.

"Fine," he agreed. "That's only fair." She nodded with a smile. Shuichi watched as he opened a desk drawer and brought out some vanilla folders. "These are some of the people I had in mind. Please look over them and tell me your thoughts within the next few days."

Taking the folders from him, she smiled. "Of course, Seguchi." He smiled back. "Now if that's everything, we should leave. There are a lot of people to sift through." Now K grinned. He was impressed. She handled that like any respectable businesswoman would.

"Alright then," the American agreed, jumping to his feet. "Follow me, and I'll take you to your studio." They did so, closing the door behind them as they went. It was quiet for a minute before the door opened again.

"She's a little spit fire," the person stated, blue eyes twinkling with amusement. His ever present pink bunny was tucked under his arm, with his hands in his pockets. Tohma just matched his amused expression.

"Yes, she is," he agreed. Then in a half joking manner, he said, "Reminds me of you when Nittle Grasper first started…Ryuichi." Ryuichi snorted, currently out of child mode. "I'm serious. When she stood there disagreeing with me, it felt like I was watching your doppelganger."

Ryuichi just stood there looking past Tohma and out the window. He honestly couldn't disagree. She did remind him of himself when he was her age. Passionate about her music, so full of life that it seems to spill out of her. Not that he wasn't like that now. He still loved his music. And just ask anyone around, he was definitely full of life. But he found his passion for music starting to wane slightly, like he was starting to get tired. He knew sooner or later that he was going to have to find something else to do, because he's pretty sure that he was starting to get burnt out with the music industry.

But maybe…just maybe…this girl, Shuichi Shindo, can help keep him going through the business 'til the end. He had a feeling Bad Luck was going to hit the big time within the next few years. Maybe they'll be enough of some competition, that he'll keep giving his all.

-Line Break-

**Well there you have it! Chapt.7! Wow…Shuichi has major balls! And yes, Ryu-chan was eavesdropping. Kumagoro, I thought I told you to keep him occupied. He-he!**

**Ja ne!**

**Shizu-fan!**


	9. PETITION! Not a chapter!

Greetings to the fine folk that moderate our site.

Myself, along with many, have been writing and posting on your fine site for years now, some of the better examples of up and coming writers out there are now suddenly finding some of the stories we've come to love at risk of being removed without the chance to even rectify our errors.

For some, that means the permanent loss of a story. While I don't have anything that I believe violates your terms of use, there are those out there that are never able to recover a story in its original form, this is something I find to be almost worthy of a legal action, as while we cannot claim ownership of a character, the stories are OURS and simply destroying them is something that is inexcusable.

It's quite easy to simply add an MA rating, additional filters or even a simple requirement for a free membership to read the stories presented here, and would cut down on hateful anonymous reviews and posts at the same time, so I have to question as to why such a thing, in all this time, simply wasn't added.

If you're worried about falsification of a registration then have an appropriate disclaimer and then there can be no dispute, you took your steps and the PARENTS didn't monitor their children, if that is even your concern. If it is more of a personal view or desire then please at least let people know and give them a chance to remove a story that you and yours find offensive, most people on the site are actually rather cordial when it comes to such requests.

While I cannot say for sure if this letter will even reach those that may be willing to listen, of if it's more akin to a wide spectrum purge in preparation for something bigger, please understand that you are going to be looseing a LARGE number of your writers, and thus your income from a lack of readers if there is not some level of action taken to help with this situation.

For those that may agree with this, please feel free to sign on and send this to the support server, maybe we can get some movement on this.

Psudocode_Samurai

Rocketman1728

dracohalo117

VFSNAKE

Agato the Venom Host

Jay Frost

SamCrow

Blood Brandy

Dusk666

Hisea Ori

The Dark Graven

BlackRevenant

Lord Orion Salazar Black

Sakusha Saelbu

Horocrux

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Kumo no Makoto

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Harufu

Exiled crow

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xXEnergizerBunnyXx

mangopudding

Shizu-fan


	10. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT 2!

**THIS IS NOT A CHAPTER! (…again…)**

**I'm sorry to say that I have put this story on a temporary hiatus. I know you've heard this a thousand times already, and believe me when I say I feel for you, but my muse for this story up and left. So now I've been sitting here having a staring contest with a word document. It absolutely loathes me to have to say this. Really it does. And to be completely honest, I was afraid this would happen. The only things I've been able to finish are oneshots. -_-,**

**Also, I'm sorry that you had to wait for any kind of update this long. School has been hectic. Junior year sucks. Royally. (…and I probably should've put this first, but oh well…)**

**Anyways, I'll get back to you guys on whether or not I'm finishing. If I don't, it'll more than likely get put up for adoption. It's too good of a story to take down.**

**And before I go, I have a question for you guys. I wasn't completely sitting on my ass doing nothing. I did finish some chapters last summer break, just haven't gotten around to posting them yet. Again, school is a major drag for juniors. So my question is should I go ahead and post them, or should I not? I'm leaving this up to you.**

**Again guys, I'm so sorry!**

…**Ja ne…**

**Shizu-fan.**


	11. Chapter 8

**Woooow… only one person said they wanted my to go ahead and post them. Well, to that one person, I will happily oblige. I'm going to post the chapters I already have a day at a time, then officially be on hiatus.**

**Anyways, here's Chapt.8! Please enjoy!**

**Summary: What if Shuichi was a girl and it wasn't Eiri she met that fateful night, but Ryuichi and he liked her music? Also what if she was having a rough life at home? Will Ryu help her out?**

**Here's where they pick the third member! Go go Suguru! And like I said before, Suguru is the second and last person to be gender bent.**

**Disclaimer: All characters in Gravitation belong to Maki Murakami. All songs belong to their respective artists.**

_Blah_ = thinking

**Blah** = English

-Line Break-

It was the day after the meeting. They were in the studio and were supposed to be working on their debut album. Instead, they were looking through folders of potential candidates. And there was a big pile of folders that were all rejects. Now they had it down to two people: Namie Namikaze and Suguru Fujisaki.

K stood there watching them think in silence. It had been quiet for about half an hour now, and he was starting to get fidgety. He was itching to hurry up and get them on a stage, to get their name out there. But without that third member, that wasn't going to happen. Couldn't they just throw a dart and pick whoever it landed on?

Deciding he's had enough of silence, he asked, "So who are you thinking of?" That seemed to snap them out of their daze. Looking towards him, he saw their indecision. After a moment, Hiro was the first to speak.

"I don't know," he admitted. "They both sound like very good candidates. It's hard to choose." Looking to Shuichi, he saw her thinking face was on. Her thumb was at her mouth, her brows were scrunched together; all in all she looked like L from Death Note. Hiro thought it funny she's never even read the series and yet she copied his pose to near perfection. "What about you Shuichi?"

Shuichi turned her gaze towards him. "What?"

"I said 'What about you?'" Hiro repeated, a smirk on his face. "What are your thoughts?" They watched as she went back to thinking before saying anything.

"That you're right," she started. "They both sound good." Reaching over, she picked up Fujisaki's folder. "But…I'm leaning more towards this Suguru person."

K raised an eyebrow at that. _Is she now? That's funny._ A smirk lit his face. _Wait until they find out who she's related to._

"Why's that?" Hiro asked. He watched Shuichi read through the girl's file. When he saw it, he was surprised. Only sixteen years old and being one of the people that might've been hand picked by Tohma Seguchi? That's a very big honor. And when he saw the picture, he had to admit, she was cute. Big brown doe like eyes, short green hair in a pixie cut, and dressed somewhat like a gothic pixie with all the dark clothes.

"Well," Shuichi began, "it says here, that she's a prodigy. Meaning she actually can play." Hiro nodded his head. "It also says, that she's composed her own music. Granted it's all classical, but still. Music is music. It might be good to add some classical to our repertoire. Give us more room to work with." Hiro and K had to admit, that did sound like a good idea. Shuichi grinned as she put down the folder. "Plus there's the fact she's a girl and only two years younger than us. That's just a bonus."

Hiro scoffed. "Of course," he sighed mockingly. Leaning over the table, he stuck his finger at her nose. "You just want to add another girl to the group."

"Exactly," Shuichi confirmed with an innocent expression, her eyes closed in a Tohma like fashion. And the next thing she knew, she was nursing an abused head. Crocodile tears streamed down her face as she started sniffling pathetically. She glanced up at Hiro in mock misery. "What the hell was that for?" she cried loudly.

"You know exactly what that was for," Hiro stated, pointing an accusing finger at her. He sat back down as she kept crying. "And dry those tears Shuichi. You know I've become immune to your pitiful little girl act." Immediately the tears stopped and she just smirked. There was a moment of silence before the two best friends busted out laughing.

K just watched all this with amusement. Ah, youth… "So, have you decided?" he asked in curiosity. The two musicians looked at each other and nodded.

-Line Break-

Tohma was signing some documents when there was a sudden knock on his door. "Come in," he called. He was surprised to see Bad Luck walk in with smiles on their faces. "Does this unannounced visit mean what I think it does?" he asked with a knowing smile. He received a nod.

"The jury has reached a verdict!" K said in his usual loud self, arms outstretched in a ta-da like manner. Shuichi and Hiro stepped forward, one folder in the singer's hands, the rest in the guitarist's. Hiro set his pile down before stepping back to stand next to his best friend.

"We've decided," Hiro started as Shuichi opened the folder and plopped it down on the desk.

"Suguru Fujisaki," Shuichi finished. Tohma took the folder and looked at it, a secretive smile on his face. _So they've chosen her. She'll be quite pleased._ Tohma came out of his thoughts to hear what she was saying. "Her file says she an excellent pianist and has written a few pieces of her own. Plus she's not too much younger than us." Shuichi smiled, her eyes dancing with a warm fire. "I'm pretty sure we'll get along well."

Tohma nodded, pleased. "Very well. I'll contact this girl and tell her she's hired." He watched as the two walked out of the office, knowing they didn't need to be there any longer. The only one who didn't leave was their manager, K. Making sure they were out of earshot, K turned to Tohma with an amused smirk.

"You were gonna put your cousin in Bad Luck anyways," K accused. "Weren't you?" The reply he got was Tohma's famous innocent smile. Shaking his head mockingly, he followed his band out the door.

-Line Break-

**And there you have it. Chapt.8. Suguru was chosen - of course! Wouldn't be Gravitation without him- er, her! Anyways, next chapter is the grand meeting! And don't worry, Sakano will be there too.**

**Ja ne!**

**Shizu-fan!**


	12. Chapter 9

**Chapt.9 people! Here we go!**

Summary: What if Shuichi was a girl and it wasn't Eiri she met that fateful night, but Ryuichi and he liked her music? Also what if she was having a rough life at home? Will Ryu help her out?

**Welcome Suguru to this rendition of Gravitation! And welcome back Sakano. Sorry I forgot about you. Who in their right mind could forget the producer of Bad Luck? Oh right. I'm not in my right mind! Never have been, never will be!**

Disclaimer: All characters in Gravitation belong to Maki Murakami. All songs belong to their respective artists.

_Blah_ = thinking

Blah = English

-Line Break-

"Come on Shuichi," Hiro beckoned. "It couldn't have been that bad." He watched as Shuichi walked towards the sound booth for recording. She was rolling her shoulders as if to get some stiffness out of them.

"Yeah it was," Shuichi argued. _Man, I wish I didn't quit when I was ten,_ she thought. _Then I wouldn't be this sore._ "Last night, the instructor had me do things that normal people can't do. Multiple times." _Stupid martial arts instructor._ Shuichi saw Hiro roll his eyes in exasperation and got a bit peeved. "I'd like to see you do a three-sixty butterfly kick, followed by a back flip, then finish it up with a head charge." (A/N: I just made stuff up. I honestly haven't got a clue when it comes to fighting. But that butterfly kick can actually be used as a dance move. Members of Quest Crew have done it. :P)

Hiro whistled. "Dang," he breathed. "He really had you do that?" No wonder she's sore.

"She," Shuichi corrected. "But yeah, she did." She ran a hand through her hair. It was getting longer. Longer than she liked it…but the only reason why that was was because of her step father. She didn't want him to be able to grab her too easily. With him gone, she can grow it out to whatever length she wanted now. She always wanted long hair.

Coming out of her musings, she looked out at the studio. The only ones there were her and Hiro. Their manager, K, had called a meeting. And that was two hours ago. "Where is he?" she asked into the microphone so Hiro could hear. "You'd think that the person who called the meeting would have the decency to show up. On time." Hiro just nodded, turning his attention to his guitar. Not a minute later, K kicked open the door with a big goofy smile on his face.

"You're late!" Shuichi shouted, storming out of the sound booth. She stopped beside Hiro, hands on her hips, and left eye twitching. "What the hell took you so long?! We've been waiting for two hours!"

K just lifted a brow at her. "Easy, short stuff," he commanded, causing Shuichi's cheeks to puff out in anger. _Short stuff?!_ "I had to meet with our boss. We needed to know who our producer was going to be." That caused Shuichi to deflate quickly.

"But why?" Hiro asked, looking up from his instrument. "I thought Seguchi was going to be our producer."

"Nope," K replied easily. "He's got his hands full with ASK, not to mention Ryuichi, while at the same time running this company." The two musicians instantly got that 'O' look.

"That makes sense…Well, do you know who it is?" Shuichi asked. K was about to say something when a voice came from behind him.

"That would be me." They watched as a black haired, glasses wearing, businessman walked out from behind the American. He had this feel about him that made them think he really didn't have much of a spine.

"Guys, this is Mr. Sakano," K introduced. "Most of the time, he doesn't have a backbone…" Sakano hung his head dejectedly at that. "…But he easily makes up for that with his skills as a producer." He then looked up at K with a hopeful gleam in his eyes. Suddenly, Sakano peeked behind them and quickly moved out of the way.

"And last but not least," K started, "the new recruit of Bad Luck." He stepped out of the way to let in whoever was behind him. And what walked in was a short, green haired girl wearing black cargo pants, tennis shoes, and a white tee with the image of a melting black heart. "Meet your new keyboardist: Suguru Fujisaki."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," she said shyly, bowing slightly. "When I first saw you guys opening for ASK, I became instant fan." Before Shuichi could even utter a syllable, Hiro was up, standing in front of the girl with his guitar lying on the table.

He took one of her hands in both of his with a flirtatious smile on his face. "The pleasure is ours, Miss Fujisaki," he said in a sweet voice. "And may I say you look lovely today?" Shuichi just stared incredulously as the younger girl blushed a heavy scarlet. Not five seconds and he was already flirting. Deciding to save the girl from further embarrassment, she went up and pulled Hiro away by his ear.

"Alright Romeo," Shuichi scorned. "That's enough. Leave the poor girl alone." With that, she plopped him back in his chair with a sigh before turning towards the girl who still was red in the face. "Please ignore him. He's not usually this way. I think he was just trying to tease you." The young girl just nodded, still somewhat dazed. K and Sakano watched all this with amusement and shock respectively. "As I'm sure you know, I'm Shuichi Shindo," Shuichi introduced herself. "And the flirt here is Hiroshi Nakano." Walking back towards the girl, she laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I say we go ahead and get started. There are a lot of songs for you to learn." Suguru nodded her head with a small smile.

K decided he liked this pink haired girl. Agreeing with the idea of working, he pushed everyone towards their respective instruments and watched the magic fly.

-Line Break-

Throughout NG Studios, music was being heard over the intercoms. It had just started and everyone, including Tohma and Ryuichi who were in the cafeteria, was wondering who it was that was playing. It was when someone started singing that they realized it was Bad Luck. And the song was a fun one, with a beat you just have to dance to.

_Hold on cause I'm letting go_  
><em>I'm gonna lassle your heart like a rodeo<em>  
><em>I'm gonna give you some 'til you want some more<br>Cause all I see is an open door_

_And I see where it's leading me_  
><em>All of this energy<em>  
><em>Been bottled up way too long<em>  
><em>It's powerful, powerful<em>

_You see where I'm getting at_  
><em>I'm ready for all of that<em>  
><em>If I'm not a star you're blind<em>

Ryuichi couldn't help himself. He got up and started walking out of the cafeteria, Studio 2 his destination. Tohma followed after him, curious as to what's going through his friend's head.

_I've got rings on my fingers_  
><em>And glitter in my hair<em>  
><em>I've bought a one-way ticket<em>  
><em>And I just got here<em>

In another part of the building, ASK was listening to the song. And the leader Taki Aizawa couldn't believe the guts this band, that was younger than them, had. He was angered even more when he saw two Grasper's, one being their producer, walking towards the studio the brats were in with curiosity etched on their faces. He was going to get that pink haired brat, one way or another.

_I'm gonna run this town_  
><em>Run this town<em>  
><em>I'm gonna run this town<em>  
><em>Run this town<em>

_I've got high-heeled stilettos_  
><em>And I'm kickin' in doors<em>  
><em>And kissing you ass<em>  
><em>Ain't what my lipsticks for<em>

_I'm gonna run this town_  
><em>Run this town<em>  
><em>I'm gonna run this town<em>  
><em>Run this town tonight<em>

The two finally got to Studio 2 as the second part started. The entire band was in the recording booth. They stood their watching the youngsters work as if they've been together for years.

_I'm climbing high, but there ain't no net_  
><em>You'd like to see me jump a bit<em>  
><em>Well every day's just like Russian Roulette<em>  
><em>I'm gonna play, play, play with no regrets<em>

_Cause I'm tired of second best_  
><em>Tired of doing this<em>  
><em>Tired of hypocrites<em>  
><em>Twisted like licorice<em>

_I'm crushing them in my fist_  
><em>Hushing their ignorance<em>  
><em>You had your chance<em>  
><em>Now it's mine<em>

_Tohma was impressed with how well they worked together. He was also proud with how fast his cousin was learning their songs. She hasn't even been with them for a day, and already she has at least one song under her belt._

_I've got rings on my fingers_  
><em>And glitter in my hair<em>  
><em>I've bought a one-way ticket<em>  
><em>And I just got here<em>

_I'm gonna run this town_  
><em>Run this town<em>  
><em>I'm gonna run this town<em>  
><em>Run this town<em>

_I've got high-heeled stilettos_  
><em>And I'm kickin' in doors<em>  
><em>And kissing you ass<em>  
><em>Ain't what my lipsticks for<em>

_I'm gonna run this town_  
><em>Run this town<em>  
><em>I'm gonna run this town<em>  
><em>Run this town tonight<em>

_Ryuichi was impressed as well. They had great chemistry between them. Shuichi and Hiroshi he understood. Those two have known each other forever. But with the new edition, he expected some awkwardness. Apparently he was wrong._

_Nothing's standing in my way_  
><em>There's no obstacles anymore<em>  
><em>In a minute, I'll be on my way<em>  
><em>To the moment I've been waiting for<em>

_I've got rings on my fingers_  
><em>And glitter in my hair<em>  
><em>I've bought a one-way ticket<em>  
><em>And I just got here<em>

_I'm gonna run this town_  
><em>Run this town<em>  
><em>I'm gonna run this town<em>  
><em>Run this town tonight<em>

_'__And I'm okay with that__,' he thought with a smile. Tohma watched him through all this with a knowing look. A smile of his own spread across his face as he turned back to Bad Luck._

_I've got rings on my fingers_  
><em>And glitter in my hair<br>I've bought a one-way ticket_  
><em>And I just got here<em>

_I'm gonna run this town_  
><em>Run this town<em>  
><em>I'm gonna run this town<em>  
><em>Run this town<em>

_I've got high-heeled stilettos_  
><em>And I'm kickin' in doors<em>  
><em>And kissing you ass<em>  
><em>Ain't what my lipsticks for<em>

_I'm gonna run this town_  
><em>Run this town<em>  
><em>I'm gonna run this town<em>  
><em>Run this town<em>

_I'm gonna run, I'm gonna run_  
><em>Gonna run, run this town<br>I'm gonna run, I'm gonna run_  
><em>I'm gonna run, run this town<em>

_Tonight_  
><em>Run this town, run this town<em>  
><em>Tonight<em>  
><em>I'm gonna run this town, run this town<em>  
><em>Tonight.<em>


	13. Chapter 10

Here's the next chapter.

Summary: What if Shuichi was a girl and it wasn't Eiri she met that fateful night, but Ryuichi and he liked her music? Also what if she was having a rough life at home? Will Ryu help her out?

This chapter is where they go on that game show after confronting ASK. Something tells me that Shuichi has an idea up her sleeve.

Disclaimer: All characters in Gravitation belong to Maki Murakami. All songs belong to their respective artists.

_Blah_ = thinking

Blah = English

-Line Break-

The rest of the week flew by. Everyday they got a couple of songs recorded, and by the end of the week, they had their debut album. Everyone at NG was shocked. That was the fastest time yet. Though BAD LUCK had songs to spare, with Shuichi writing nearly everyday. Tohma had signed off on all the songs going into the album, pleasantly surprised by them. Their album would release at the end of the month, weeks earlier than originally planned.

Speaking of the head of the company, the two founding members of BAD LUCK found out some interesting information about their new keyboardist. Apparently she was Tohma Seguchi's younger cousin. That shocked them to no end. But they got over it quickly and went on like nothing changed, which stunned Suguru. When she asked them about it, they said it didn't matter who she was related to. As long as she was a good person, they were fine with it. And she was relieved to hear that.

They got along well with each other, becoming fast friends in that short time together. Everything within the studio was going smoothly. Though there were a couple of times that K pulled his gun out, pointing it at a certain vocalist, even firing it once. Let's just say he now knows not to do that…unless he wants his severed head flying out the window. He's not scared of her…per se…but he respected her skills and judgment. So he won't whip it out on **her** unless absolutely necessary. The other two were a whole other story however.

Right now the members of the band were just lazing about, having nothing to do. Suguru and Hiro were talking about god knows what and Shuichi was sprawled out on the couch that was in their studio. Sakano was talking with Seguchi about something. And K…they had no idea where K went to in all honesty. Looking away from the spot of the ceiling that she's been staring at for the past hour, she turned to watch her bandmates converse. A small smile lit her face. She could see the attraction between the two. Now if only Hiro would man up and tell the girl he likes her, then hopefully they'll fall in love and get married and Shuichi would have nieces and nephews she could dote on. A small sigh escaped her lips.

_If only it were that easy_, she thought, turning back to stare at the ceiling. _Then everyone in the world would have someone who loved them. Even me._ She didn't think she would find someone for herself. After what she's been through for the last eight to nine years with her stepfather, she believed no one would want her. She was covered in scars from old injuries. She knew it was stupid to think like that, that no guy would begrudge her for her unchosen life. But it was hard to think otherwise.

She was abruptly brought out of her thoughts when the door burst open with a loud bang. "Ah!" she screamed as she fell off the couch with a thud. Rubbing the back of her abused head, Shuichi looked up to see K standing there with his magnum pointed at them, the sunglasses he always wore on his face, along with that damnable smirk. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

K just ignored her question. He's heard it enough times already. "Everyone up and at 'em! We've got somewhere to be!" They just stared at him. What…the…hell…? "Come on! We don't got all day. Move!" Reluctantly they started walking out the door and followed him to the parking garage. …Towards a minivan.

Before everyone was even close to being situated, K took off with the band screaming for their lives in the backseat. How a minivan could move so fast and weave through traffic like that was beyond them, but with K they guessed anything was possible.

When they finally arrived at their destination, K walked out of the driver's seat with a content smile on his face while everyone else stumbled out of the vehicle white as a sheet. They blindly followed K into a building and stopped at what they were met with. They were at a TV station. Turning to K, they waited for him to answer the unspoken question.

"You're going to appear on a game show!" K exclaimed with a huge smile, startling some people as they passed. Somehow the three friends were in perfect synch with each other because they simultaneously screamed "GAME SHOW?!" By now they had an audience but they didn't care. "Yes, game show. Is there a problem with that?" The three saw his hand inch towards his beloved magnum and quickly shook their heads in the negative. "Alright! Follow me!"

They did so a second time that day. Walking down a hallway, they immediately stopped when the band ASK came walking down from the opposite direction. They stopped as well and there was a few moments of silence before Taki started speaking.

"You guys, huh? You were the opening performance at the dome, right? It's a shame that Ryuichi Sakuma's former manager is working with you losers. A quiz show…Heh, no wonder you grouped like this… a perfect match." The other two behind him started sniggering. They watched as the red head boy and green haired girl moved to stand on either side of their lead singer.

Hiro slung an arm around his best friend's shoulder, noticing out of the corner of his eye that Suguru placed a hand on the small of her back. A bead of sweat ran down his face as Shuichi's eyes darkened slightly in some negative emotion. _Shuichi!_ he thinks pleadingly. _Please stay calm. It's ASK, ASK!_

Shuichi blinks and takes on her stupid persona. These morons didn't need to know how her real mind worked. With her idiotic expression in place she blinked again, tilting her head to the side in an innocent manner. "And you are…?" she asks, trailing off so they could fill in the blanks.

There was a collective silence as the three members of ASK twisted their faces into a snarl. Taki walked up and grabbed Shuichi by the front of her shirt, yanking her out of Hiro's grasp. K immediately reached for his gun when Shuichi waved him off with a slight gesture of her hand. Imperceptible unless you were looking for it. "You didn't forget your senpai's face did you?! We're ASK!" he yelled to her face, as she blinked in surprise. This reaction was unexpected. "We belong to the same record label as you dorks! NG Studios!" Hiro was staring wide eyed, mouth gaping open in shock. _Oh, this is not good!_ he thought worriedly, having the urge to start biting on his nails. Suguru was no better off. _She's gonna snap!_ "All this for some KID!" _He just said the forbidden word!_

A tic mark appeared as Shuichi lowered her head, her bangs covering her eyes. "What did you say?" she asked quietly, hands clenching into fists. Lifting her gaze to meet his, shock entered his expression as he saw the fire burning in her eyes. Everyone watched as she swung her right fist into an uppercut at his chin. "It's not a good idea to call me a KID!"

Suguru watched in amusement as Taki landed on his back with a thud, already used to her new friend's antics. "So that's the taboo word for the day?" she asks with a smirk, turning to K for his thoughts. She'll have to ask Shuichi to give her some fighting lessons later.

"Apparently," K comments off handedly, a proud smile on his face. It was official. He really liked this pink haired menace known as Shuichi Shindo. He watched as she raised her arm again and hurriedly grabbed it. They couldn't handle a lawsuit just yet. "That's enough," he commanded in his military leader voice. "You can hit the gym after we're done here to blow off steam. Right now, we need to hurry to the show."

Shuichi just nodded and waited for him to let go of her arm. Her face took on a serious expression as she looked down at Taki, one that would make anyone mistake her for Ryuichi Sakuma if it wasn't for the pink hair and violet eyes. With a snort, she walked passed them, Hiro and Suguru following after. When they were out of ear shot, she started speaking. "You guys hate ASK as much as me right?"

"Yeah," Hiro answered simply, a slight frown on his face. No one messed with his sister and gets away with it.

"Of course," Suguru replied, a similar look on her face. "They're too arrogant for their own good." Just because they were hired before them, they thought they owned everything.

"Good," Shuichi said as they walked onto the set of the game show. She was pleased with their responses. "I'm thinking they need to be brought down a peg or three."

K looked at his pink haired singer with a curious expression. "And what did you have in mind?" he asked with a raised brow. Shuichi smirked. Let the games begin.

-Line Break-

"Welcome to the game show: Quiz de Pon!" the host greeted to the TV monitor. Everyone listened as he introduced the contestants. "…And last but not least, a new band hailing from NG Studios: BAD LUCK!" The three members saluted the TV monitors as the cameramen swung them around to face them. "Hiroshi Nakano, you are one lucky guy, working with two beautiful ladies such as these."

Hiro smirks as he wraps an arm around both girls waist, drawing them closer until they were nearly in his lap. Shuichi and Suguru took the opportunity to grab the back of his head and slam his face onto the table, hitting the red buzzer dead on and the sound of it going off. K could be heard laughing his ass off and Sakano was bawling like a baby, crying about how they should behave themselves. "Ouch! That's gotta hurt! Anyway, here's how the first round works. I'll ask a question and the first team to hit the red buzzer in front of them, as was just demonstrated, answers first, though not exactly in that fashion. Answer correctly, you earn points! Now at the end of the show, the team with the most points receives 1,000,000 yen!"

Applause was heard from the studio audience at the mention of the grand prize. "Now let's get started! Our first question is Picture Quick Push! Can you make it out?" As soon as the question was finished the sound of a buzzer went off. Everyone swiveled around to see Shuichi with her hand pressed against the buzzer. "Wow, she's fast! BAD LUCK!"

"Sorry about this," Shuichi apologized, her bright idiotic smile on her face, "But we don't need the 1,000,000 yen. If BAD LUCK wins, can we perform one song on here?" There was dead silence except for Sakano screaming his head off then promptly fainting, his soul escaping and hanging above his head.

After that it took a moment for someone to say anything. The sound of the director's chair being knocked over was heard as he jumped up. "That's an interesting idea! Suspend the show for a bit!" It was a minute or two before the cameras started rolling again, the executives having come to a decision.

"Sure thing!" the host agreed with a smile. "If BAD LUCK answers the questions correctly, they will exchange the prize money to sing one song! So let's see what they answer!" Cheers came from the crowd. "This is the only hint. 'It hurts when hit'. Well? What's your answer?!"

Shuichi closed her eyes as an apologetic expression crossed her face. _I'm sorry, mom, dad,_ she thought. _But I'm gonna have to make an idiot of myself on live TV for the band during the first half of the show. I hope you'll forgive me for putting your teachings to waste._ Shuichi looked back up with an awkward smile. "A rock." The sound of a siren went off signaling a wrong answer. Hiro and Suguru face faulted, perfectly playing the parts given to them.

-Line Break-

Somewhere else in the TV station, Taki and another member of ASK, Ken-chan were rehearsing for a performance they had on a music show, when suddenly the door of their room was thrown open. "Ken-chan! Taki! We've got a problem!"

Taki stood there watching his friend in boredom. "What's with all the noise Ma-kun? We've already started rehearsal." He watched as his blonde haired band mate pushed Ken-chan out of the way slightly.

"BAD LUCK is on 'Quiz de Pon'!" The two calm ones just stared at him like he lost his mind. They already knew that. "Turn on the TV! They're doing a live broadcast!"

Taki just sighed. "So what? You know I don't watch that kind of stuff." Ma-kun ignored him as he grabbed the remote and pushed the power button. When the screen came on, they were immediately shocked at what was going on.

"Question number four! Hands on the buzzers! Using the finger of your hand, you display the direction of the power which electric current receives in the magnetic field according to what English-" beep.

"Fleming's Rule."

"CORRECT! Next question! 1 box is 4 packs of 10 sticks of the best Pocky mow comes in 5 packs of 10 sticks! What is the percentage increase?" Beep.

"25%."

"The author of _Shiosai*_ and _Yuukoku**_…" Beep!

"Yukio Mishima."

"Right again! The formula for calculating the area of a trapezoid?" _Beep!_

"(Top base + bottom base) x height/2."

"The main food Maki Murakami eats is?" _**Beep!**_

"Potatoes."

"3 + 500,000,000 is?" _**BEEP!**_

"500,000,003."

"Hiroshi Nakano of Team BAD LUCK is amazing! You're one smart guitarist!"

The three just stood there as the show continued on with BAD LUCK answering nearly all the questions right. Taki's eyes narrowed as he kept watching. "They're gonna sing one song in exchange for the prize money?" Ma-kun nods his head dumbly, looking very much like a bobble head. "I see. They think that a music show isn't the only place to sing huh?" Ken-chan and Ma-kun watched as he kept talking to himself. "Then ASK…no…**I** will confront her on it. It's a challenge."

"Taki…" Ma-kun trailed off, worried about what was going through his friend's head.

"I don't like it," Taki stated, a glare set on his features. "The new kid's more popular than me… damn that wench!"

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**And that's chapter 10. Hope you enjoyed! Shuichi is a devious little lady, isn't she?**

**Well, you know the drill. R&R!**

**Ja ne!**

**Shizu-fan!**

***Shiosai – The Roar of the Sea**

****Yuukoku – Patriotism**


	14. Chapter 11

This is the last chapter that I had worked on over the summer. This will be the last update unless I have until I have cemented the muse for this story to my hip or I have any info for you guys. As of this point, I now announce this story on…HIATUS!

So this is Chapter. 11 folks! Have fun!

Summary: What if Shuichi was a girl and it wasn't Eiri she met that fateful night, but Ryuichi and he liked her music? Also what if she was having a rough life at home? Will Ryu help her out?

**The second half of Quiz de Pon is now underway. Shuichi is about to show she has a brain. Watch out other contestants, a pink haired menace is coming to win it all!**

Disclaimer: All characters in Gravitation belong to Maki Murakami. All songs belong to their respective artists.

_Blah_ = thinking

Blah = English during dialogue

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"Last of all, it's time for 'Dash de Pon'!" The host said excitedly. "Each team must choose one representative to go to the ramp to run. When the ramp light is lit you can answer!"

Shuichi started tearing up and wailing. "Hiro! What are we gonna do?! I don't know any of the answers!" she cried childishly, keeping the act up. She had to make everyone feel safe around her to take them by surprise.

"Don't give up!" Hiro stated, going along. His face twitched with the urge to laugh.

"You wanna sing don't you?!" Suguru asked, her face set in a worried expression, though she was having a hard time keeping herself from going into hysterics. Sakano was behind the camera's crying again, having woken up halfway through the first part. K just stood beside him with an apathetic face, having better control over himself than the three on stage.

"Because she seems so fast, Shindo is representing BAD LUCK. But the intelligence level is lower…" the host trailed off. The audience as well as the other contestants started laughing as Shuichi stood on the ramp. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from smirking evilly. These people don't know who their dealing with. "And now, the next question. In English, inu is **dog**. What is neko?"

Shuichi started running as if her life depended on it, shocking everyone with the speed she possessed. The buzzer went off a moment later as she stopped to catch her breath. "Wow, you're fast! Do you really know the answer?"

"**CAT**!" There was silence as everyone tried to digest what she just said. Did she just…answer the question…right…? After a moment, Shuichi turned towards the frozen host. "Well?" she demanded impatiently.

"Oh, right…uh – hold on," he stuttered looking down at the card in his hand. "Uh…That's correct!" Sakano's crying stopped as he stared at the band with hope gleaming in his eyes. _Maybe there is a chance of us winning this!_

-Line Break-

Two people walked into the quiz show's producing room. They watched as the producer wacked one of the lackeys on the head repeatedly, yelling something about who would sing on a quiz show. "It's about numbers, got it?! NUMBERS! It's their last chance at victory! They're straight out of high school! That last question she answered was just a fluke!"

"So you're gonna rig the game and deceive Shindo?" The people operating the room looked towards the door. There, unbeknownst to the show's producer, stood Tohma Seguchi and Ryuichi Sakuma. "That's uncalled for," Seguchi continued with a frown. Ryuichi's eyes narrowed in agreement behind his sunglasses.

"What the hell? Only authorized personal are allowed back here!" The same lackey that got wacked tried to tell him who they really were, but got pushed aside. "I don't care who they are! They're not supposed to be back here!" He turned back to Tohma as he started talking again.

"You should watch your mouth when you don't know who you're talking to," he advised sternly. He took off his sunglasses, surprising everyone with who was actually talking. "Somehow, you don't seem all that wise, though. So you'll never succeed…"

"_To-Tohma Seguchi?!"_ the producer exclaimed. _Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!_ "What are you doing here? I-I mean…please forgive my rudeness earlier…" he apologized, bowing a couple times. Ryuichi started snickering at the stupidity of the man before him.

Tohma sighed. "Didn't you hear me? I said it was insignificant." He started walking towards the monitors, talking all the while. "During the live broadcast of the show, the guest's proposition of exchanging the prize money to be able to perform one song should be taken seriously." Ryuichi watched as his friend stopped to look at the monitors before turning back to the producer. "There's no outrageous scandal for foolishness like this. In front of the TV, the viewers expect the underdogs to win, correct? You want the ratings. And the audience is expecting an 'interesting ending'." The famous Tohma Seguchi smile adorned his face as he continued. "And from what I just now saw, that might happen."

Confused everyone crowded around the projection monitors to see what he meant.

-Line Break-

"Now, the current scores! Team Yuki Matsuri is tied with team BAD LUCK at 30,000 points each! Team BAD LUCK's Shuichi Shindo appears to have tricked everyone into thinking she had no brain! When in reality, she's probably as smart, if not smarter, than her teammate, Hiroshi Nakano!" The surprise on the other contestant's faces was priceless. Shuichi grinned evilly, knowing she had them up in a corner. That'll teach them to make assumptions about her IQ!

"Next question! From the American book _Holes_; repeat a part of the song the main character's ancestor was supposed to sing when letting the woman drink from the creek in the mountain. And you must say it in English!" Everyone started running, but since Shuichi was light on her feet, she lit the lamp first. "Yes! Shuichi Shindo!"

Shuichi took a moment to catch her breath before answering in flawless English. "**'If only, if only,' the woodpecker sighed, 'the bark on the tree was as soft as the sky'**."

"CORRECT!" Applause came from the studio audience, cheering for the 'underdogs' to win. "Next! What's another name for the American men's basketball team?" BEEP!

"Shindo!"

"The Dream Team!"

"Correct!"

Behind the cameras, Sakano had tears streaming down his face again. Only they weren't tears of sorrow, they were tears of joy. They might actually win! "So it wasn't a waste to come down here after all!" K just stood there with a knowing smile as Shuichi answered question after question right. _No, more like a deep satisfaction…_

"Alright!" the host exclaimed. "The last question will be worth double the points! Everyone, this could be your comeback!" Shuichi smirked as she got into position to start running. _Here we go!_ "Now then, the question!"

Back in the booth, Hiro and Suguru watched on in excitement as Shuichi kept answering the questions. Now it's down to the final one, and they couldn't let any of the other contestants answer. They knew anyone could win if the last question was answered correctly. "Run Shuichi!" the two yelled out. Shuichi turned back and saluted them with a smile. _Thanks guys._

Looking down at the card in his hand, the host recited what was written on it. "Subtle sensitivity and transparent feelings, making use of this literary style is the author's forte…in the book _Cool_ by last year's Naoki Prize Candidacy recipient!"

Shuichi halted before she even started moving. _Prize candidate for what…? Love stories are his strong points…then…_ Shuichi thought back to the day her and Hiro first stepped foot in NG Studios.

***FLASCHBACK***

Shuichi finally calmed down enough to see that someone was already talking to Seguchi. Her brows scrunched together as she took him in. Short blonde hair with eyes of the same hue. He wore a casual dark colored suit with dark dress shoes. An earring swayed slightly on his ear, finishing off the look.

For some reason, she felt as if she should know him.

***END FLASHBACK***

Shuichi felt like smacking herself. Now she remembered where she saw that man before. He was her favorite author. Looking around, she saw that the other people were close to answering. So she started started running, running with the power and speed of a cheetah. In less than five seconds, her lamp lit up, signaling she was the one to answer.

"Whoa! Shindo has amazing acceleration! And she has lit the lamp! Give us you're answer!"

Everyone watched with baited breath as Shuichi stood gasping for air. After a few moments, she looked towards camera with a determined gleam in her eyes. "EIRI YUKI!" The sound of a bell going off followed her answer with confetti flying everywhere. Shuichi jumped off the ramp and ran to her band mates, grabbing them in a hug. "We did it, we did it, we did it!" she chanted, jumping up and down.

"Congratulations on you victory," they heard. Turning around, they were surprised to see Ryuichi Sakuma and Tohma Seguchi standing beside their manager and producer. In Ryuichi's hand was a microphone. "Here is your prize," he said with huge smile. He walked up and placed the mic in the pink haired singer's hands.

Tohma walked up then, turned all three teens back around, and pushed them towards their respective instruments set up on stage. "Now go and sing for 1,000,000 yen worth's of screams."

All three looked at each other before turning back to the head of the company with smiles. "You got it!" Shuichi stated.

-Line Break-

Ask stood there staring at their TV with shock. Their producer was there. On the quiz show. Helping their competition. Taki started to see red around the edges of his vision as Bad Luck performed. He would get those twerps. More importantly, he would get that pink haired midget. No matter the cost.

-Line Break-

**And chapter eleven is in the bag! Hope you enjoyed, and hopefully by now you know the drill. R&R!**

**Ja ne!**

**Shizu-fan!**


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